kasmac ca te na nameran mahatman gariyase brahmano ’py adi-kartre ananta devesa jagan-nivasa tvam aksharam sad-asat tat param yat
Translation
O great one, greater even than Brahma, You are the original creator. Why then should they not offer their respectful obeisances unto You? O limitless one, God of gods, refuge of the universe! You are the invincible source, the cause of all causes, transcendental to this material manifestation.
Commentary by Srila Prabhupada
By this offering of obeisances, Arjuna indicates that Krishna is worshipable by everyone. He is all-pervading, and He is the Soul of every soul. Arjuna is addressing Krishna as mahatma, which means that He is most magnanimous and unlimited. Ananta indicates that there is nothing which is not covered by the influence and energy of the Supreme Lord, and devesa means that He is the controller of all demigods and is above them all. He is the shelter of the whole universe. Arjuna also thought that it was fitting that all the perfect living entities and powerful demigods offer their respectful obeisances unto Him, because no one is greater than Him. Arjuna especially mentions that Krishna is greater than Brahma because Brahma is created by Him. Brahma is born out of the lotus stem grown from the navel abdomen of Garbhodakashayi Vishnu, who is Krishna’s plenary expansion; therefore Brahma and Lord Shiva, who is born of Brahma, and all other demigods must offer their respectful obeisances. It is stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam that the Lord is respected by Lord Shiva and Brahma and similar other demigods. The word aksharam is very significant because this material creation is subject to destruction but the Lord is above this material creation. He is the cause of all causes, and being so, He is superior to all the conditioned souls within this material nature as well as the material cosmic manifestation itself. He is therefore the all-great Supreme.
Commentary by Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur
Why should they not offer respects to you? Certainly, they should offer respects to you, for you are brahman (aksaram), above both cause and effect (sad asat param)?
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